The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-12
A TAXPAYERS PROTEST
Against the Proposed System OF
Closet Sewers.

Closet Sewers.
Editor Morning Nelcs: | have observed
with much interest the discussion in your
paper in relation to Alderman Duncan's
unsystematic sewer system. / take deep
interest in this matter, as if it is enforced, it
will cost me a large amount Of money, tor
which | will receive no corresponding
benefit. Consequently desire to enter an
urgent protest against the same. ! have
waited in vain to see if some practical
Alderman would not urge the repeal OF this
ordinance, seeing, as they must, that 1t does
not meet the public wants, and certainly IL
is i'll violation of the constitution OF the
State of Georgia, which SAYS that taxes
must be uniform and bear upon all alike.
Now, according to this ordinance, per-
sons y thin 800 feet of sewer must connect.
But person 301 feet off is privileged to go
without sewer Is this uniform, or
proper sanitary or tax system? Moreover,
there are plenty persons that want sewer
CONNECTIONS, but, by reason OF their long
distance from present sewers, are unable to
make connection. Take case at the corner
of Price and Gordon streets. Here four
very nice houses have been erected.
The owner desires TO put in
modern improvements and desires
sewer connection, but he is 200 feet from
East Broad street, the nearest outlet. This
amounts to prohibition, as 1t VIII cost
enough to build a house TO run line that dis
lance. Besides, a sewer only inches III this
long distance is apt to clog and get out of
order, and who is to protect this line when
it is runs The city will not. The only priv
ilege the city allows is to pay taxes.
Plumbers may dig under and across it, and
may break it; Eeavy wagons may break 1t,
and the only information the owner will
have will be when it stops, and then he Will
have to dig up his 200 feet and repair dam
ages. 1t is also perfectly ridiculous to
think of water closets in small houses
where a class of people will have to use
them who will stop them up and keep our
premises i'll such an unSanltary condition as
to be unbearable. Even in large houses it
is very expensive and difficult to keep in
order the servants water closets, as the
boys generally manage to deposit their base
balls there, or the servants constantly put
some other Instructions in them. Besides
that, in a large part of the city there are
no water pipes, which will have to precede
the sewers.
| have been put to so much expense by
the theories of Alderman Duncan, that am
sick of them. By cementing the privies he
has ruined them and made them so offensive
that they have become nuisance, and now
not satisfied with his own work, he desires
to abolish them and put us to such addi-
tional expenses as will make our property
worthless. Many of these connections will
cost more than the houses to which they are
attached are worth. Now, | do not care
how many theories Alderman Duncan may
take advantage of his official position to
fost upon this community, provided | do
not have to pay for them. l am tired of the
expense this community is put to under the
head of sanitation. The time was when
few barrels Of chloride of lime accomplished
this work, now thousands are spent and
nothing to show for it,
The only really valuable work done in the
direction of sanitation is the drainage of
Springfield, of Hutchinson's Island, and work
done by the convict labor. The drainage Of
White ward and other subsoil drainage by
the Bolton street and other sewers, whose
bottoms were laid without cement, and have
so drained the subSol and the surface of the
low lands, and thereby driven chills and
fevers from our midst where it used to pre-
vail at all times. These sewers were in
tended originally for drainage and to
carry off rain water. They are
now the outlets for the water closets,
and may be called public privies, and
| regard it to be very inconsistent that their
bottoms should still be opened, to saturate
as Dr. Duncan claims, and cOntaminate the
soil, while the private privies have their
bottoms closed, to the damage of their
owners, the inconvenience of tenants and
to the sanitary injury of the city. Add
tional sewerage is needed, but not a plan
that involves the immediate outlay of $780,
900 out of the pockets of individual tax
payers. OF this | will speak at some future
time. Yours truly, r. D. GUERARD.